Chukwuemeka Nwkike in the anatomy lab at Morehouse. Photo contributed.

I am the first of six children born to Nigerian civil servants who sent me to the United States to pursue an education and a better life. I was suddenly an African teenage immigrant figuring out how to survive and assimilate on my own. I worked two or three jobs at a time to pay bills and send money home. However, it seemed like I spent most of my time working which left little time for anything else, and all the good jobs I could find required qualifications and/or experience which I did not have. As far as I was concerned there was only one path: go to school.

I started classes at GHC in the summer of 2009. I still wanted to become a physician, but I figured I would approach that goal slowly by first becoming a nurse.

Veronica Morin was the first of many people integral to my success I would meet at GHC that summer. This instructor was animated, coming up with crazy yet relevant ways of explaining biological concepts.

Joseph McCauley was the Rome campus A&P I lab instructor in the summer of 2009. So many students go through their academic careers wishing to meet an instructor like McCauley. He would use scientific jargon but sensing our confusion, he would switch to common language while preserving salient points of the concepts which he was conveying. He made Scooby-Doo as insightful as Mark Twain.

I met the third person integral to my collegial comeback, Eileen Walker. She was my advisor and the closest thing to a guidance counselor I ever had. She knew the catalog backwards, forwards and in any other direction imaginable. I simply told her what I wanted to do and she showed me how to get it done.

Everything went well until late registration for Spring semester 2010 when I could only afford to pay for one class, which took me to the financial aid office. That was when I discovered that I had been eligible for financial aid for three years already. The patient ladies at the financial aid office even arranged to have my payments for that semester refunded to me at a later date.

I applied to GHC’s nursing program and was accepted in the fall of 2010 to attend at the Marietta campus.

I was making progress and actually began to believe becoming a physician was within reach. I just had to keep pushing. I arranged to attend summer school at Georgia State University and begin working on my Bachelor’s degree. I found myself isolated but I understood why. Teachers really could not attend to each student’s needs due to overwhelming numbers. When I needed to talk to a professor, I simply called McCauley or any of the other instructors at GHC.

My time at GHC was not all about academics. I joined two organizations that taught me about community, giving back and stopping to help others, Phi Theta Kappa and Brother-2-Brother.

I earned three degrees and two minors between summer 2009 and Spring 2013. When I was ready to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), I could not afford books to study on my own. Dr. Hershey, the Brother-2-Brother faculty advisor and another Brother-2-Brother member, Joey Johnson, donated old and new books to me. I was accepted to the Morehouse School of Medicine and am currently a first year candidate for the Doctor of Medicine degree, class of 2017.

I remember playing basketball in the GHC gym after classes in the Spring semester of 2011 with some students. One of them was a Shorter student and he asked another student when he would be graduating Georgia Highlands College. The GHC student answered that he would be done in May of the same year. This elicited a smile from the Shorter student who went on to say “Good. Then you can finally go to a real school.”

I wish I had a time machine so I could go back to the Shorter student in the gym. This is what I would say:

“Georgia Highlands College accepted me when no other school would, despite my low GPA, socioeconomic status, beliefs, origins and lack of athletic ability. I met instructors who stayed with me even after I left the school. I met instructors who took time to get to know me personally. Despite my best efforts I could not remain anonymous. GHC gave me tools to succeed and guided me in my professional development. My test prep for probably the hardest standardized exam out there was what my GHC instructors taught me. At GHC I met faculty and staff who believed in and rooted for me. I was not a smart student but they made me feel like one. They proved hard work beats brains. Furthermore, I got the same undergraduate education for much less. I attended a top notch nursing program, one of the best in the state of Georgia. What are you doing on my basketball court? You are not a Charger.”

8 Comments

Congratulations on living your dream and accomplishing your goals! You’ve inspired me to continue my studies (even though I am an older non-traditional student), and I hope that you have inspired your siblings. I know that your parents are proud of you as well! Much continued success to you!

The above story was actually edited quite a bit. In the full story I actually dropped out of University of West Georgia in 2005 due to family responsibilities and my GPA suffered greatly. When I returned to college (GHC) I was 28 years old, with little siblings and aging parents to support, and non-traditional. I know exactly what you are up against. All you need is a little faith and willingness to sacrifice for a better tomorrow. Keep up the good work and do not be afraid of failure as it often teaches better than success. Whatever happens, DON’T QUIT. Good luck and much success to you!

This was a touching story! My dream has always been to be a Physician but I was nervous about going for those dreams because of my grades in my 1st year of college. I worked hard and brought up my GPA and I am currently a second semester student in nursing school. I need 8 more classes to complete my Biology degree and I was thinking after I finish my nursing program, work for a couple of years while finishing those degree requirements and apply to med school. I have never heard of someone getting a nursing degree then going to medical school and I am so glad that I read your story because it has shown me that I can do this; these goals I have set are attainable with hard work and dedication. Thank you so much! Also, do you have any advice since you have gone through a situation I will soon be experiencing.

hi Ike,
I just wanted to said thank you for sharing your great story, I’m in the same path you were
years ago, and reading your story inspired me to continue my journey.
Thanks Ike, I wish you all the best..
Fern.

Hi Ike
I am from Nigeria too and I relate to your story. I currently applied to Towson University school of nursing and I hope to get admitted there. I plan to go to pharmacy school and get up to a PHD. Although I am at the point of giving up and quitting school due to family responsibilities, reading your story has given me hope. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.

Hi Ike.
I am really proud of your hardwork and perseverance .i can identify with you being from the same part of the world with responsibilities to take care of our parents and younger ones.
I applied at Oklahoma university school of Nursing for this fall,hopefully I will be accepted.
I wish you all the best.i hope to get. Doctorate degree in nursing too.
Jisie Ike
Ndewo
Norris

your story just inspired me so. congratulations on your success I know your family is proud, I am proud of you and don’t even know you. I was telling people that I want to study medicine but I too want to become a nurse first. They laughed at me, now I am alone, no family support and it is hard. Sometimes I want to give up but as you said with faith and determination it will come to pass.

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The “Six Mile Post Online” is produced by the students of Georgia Highlands College. As a designated public forum, its content is the responsibility of the student editors and does not represent the opinions of Georgia Highlands College or the University System of Georgia.